An ultrasonic imaging device which narrows the width of annular areas to be established, without increasing the number of channels. The controller establishes the annular areas 421 to 42p the number of which is larger than the number of signal lines, along line intersections between wave surfaces 51 to 54 of reflective waves and a multi-dimensional surface of the probe 1. The controller selects multiple annular areas (0, 0), (0, 1), and (0, 2) with focal depths differing, for example, by an integral multiple of the ultrasonic wavelength λ, out of the multiple annular areas being established, and connects the multiple transducer elements positioned within the selected multiple annular areas with an identical signal line. Accordingly, the received signals from the selected multiple annular areas arrive at multiple time points shifted by the time corresponding to the wavelength, and the signals do not cancel one another out.
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2. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1 the multiple transducer elements as arranged in the multiple concentric spheres respectively having the radii differing by a predetermined constant value about the focal point.
The ultrasonic imaging device, which narrows annular area width without increasing channels, establishes multiple annular areas along line intersections between reflective wave surfaces and the probe's multi-dimensional surface. It selects multiple annular areas with differing focal depths (multiples of the ultrasonic wavelength λ) and connects transducer elements within these areas to a single signal line. In this version, the multiple transducer elements are arranged on multiple concentric spheres around the focal point. The radii of these spheres differ by a consistent amount.
3. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein, the number of the signal lines is M, and when a predetermined integer between or equal to 1 and M is assumed as N1 and the ultrasonic wavelength is assumed as λ, the radii of the multiple concentric spheres are different by λ/N1.
The ultrasonic imaging device has transducer elements arranged on concentric spheres with different radii. The number of signal lines is M. If N1 is an integer between 1 and M, and λ is the ultrasonic wavelength, then the radii of the concentric spheres differ by λ/N1. This spacing ensures the received signals from different depths do not cancel each other out, enhancing image quality and resolution.
4. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, the controller treats, wherein, the controller selects annular areas not adjacent to each other.
The ultrasonic imaging device, which narrows annular area width without increasing channels, establishes multiple annular areas along line intersections between reflective wave surfaces and the probe's multi-dimensional surface. It selects multiple annular areas with differing focal depths (multiples of the ultrasonic wavelength λ) and connects transducer elements within these areas to a single signal line. Here, the controller selects annular areas that are *not* directly adjacent to each other. This spacing helps to reduce signal interference and improve image clarity by avoiding crosstalk between adjacent regions.
5. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, the controller establishes a nonuse annular area between adjacent annular areas, where ones of the multiple transducer elements within the nonuse annular area are not used for an ultrasonic imaging, and controls the selection part not to connect the ones of the multiple transducer elements positioned within the nonuse annular area, with any of the signal lines.
The ultrasonic imaging device, which narrows annular area width without increasing channels, establishes multiple annular areas along line intersections between reflective wave surfaces and the probe's multi-dimensional surface. It selects multiple annular areas with differing focal depths (multiples of the ultrasonic wavelength λ) and connects transducer elements within these areas to a single signal line. In this configuration, a "non-use" annular area is placed between active annular areas. Transducer elements within this non-use area are *not* used for imaging and are *not* connected to any signal lines. This creates a physical separation to further reduce interference and improve image quality.
6. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, the controller changes a position and a selection of the annular areas, in order to change the focal point.
The ultrasonic imaging device, which narrows annular area width without increasing channels, establishes multiple annular areas along line intersections between reflective wave surfaces and the probe's multi-dimensional surface. It selects multiple annular areas with differing focal depths (multiples of the ultrasonic wavelength λ) and connects transducer elements within these areas to a single signal line. The device changes the position and selection of the annular areas to change the focal point of the ultrasound beam, allowing for dynamic focusing and scanning of different regions of interest.
7. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein, the controller has a storage and performs an arithmetical operation in advance to establish and select the annular areas, with respect to each position that is settable as the focal point, and stores a result of the operation in the storage, and the controller reads the operation result stored in the storage, according to the focal position at that point of time, and controls the selection part according to the read operation result.
The ultrasonic imaging device dynamically changes the focal point by adjusting the position and selection of annular areas. The controller includes a storage and performs pre-calculations to determine the optimal annular area configuration for each possible focal point. The results are stored. During operation, the controller retrieves the pre-calculated configuration for the desired focal point from the storage and controls the selection of transducer elements accordingly. This allows for rapid and precise focal point adjustment.
8. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, the controller selects multiple annular areas with focal depths differing by an integral multiple of the ultrasonic wavelength, out of the multiple annular areas being established.
The ultrasonic imaging device, which narrows annular area width without increasing channels, establishes multiple annular areas along line intersections between reflective wave surfaces and the probe's multi-dimensional surface. It connects transducer elements within these areas to a single signal line. The controller specifically selects multiple annular areas whose focal depths differ by an integral multiple of the ultrasonic wavelength. By using multiples of the wavelength, signals arriving from different depths are less likely to destructively interfere, leading to improved signal strength and image quality.
9. The ultrasonic imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the annular areas established as a combination of n1 and n2 according to the formula 1, are represented as (n1, n2), the controller selects N2 annular areas represented by (m, 0), (m, 1), (m, 2) . . . (m, N2−1) for the m-th signal line, and connects the multiple transducer elements in these annular areas with the m-th signal line.
The ultrasonic imaging device, which narrows annular area width without increasing channels, establishes multiple annular areas along line intersections between reflective wave surfaces and the probe's multi-dimensional surface. It selects multiple annular areas with differing focal depths (multiples of the ultrasonic wavelength λ) and connects transducer elements within these areas to a single signal line. The annular areas are defined by (n1, n2) based on formula 1 (not provided). For the m-th signal line, the controller selects N2 annular areas represented by (m, 0), (m, 1), (m, 2) ... (m, N2-1). The transducer elements in these selected annular areas are then connected to the m-th signal line.
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January 16, 2008
August 13, 2013
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